NSW continues support for Qld pollution clean-up

Nearly two weeks after Queensland’s worst ever oil spill incident, specialist NSW port and maritime officers are continuing to help with efforts to clean up pollution from the Pacific Adventurer.

Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi said today three officers – one from NSW Maritime and two from Newcastle Port Corporation – are still assisting Queensland under national oil spill response arrangements.

“At the peak of our response there were 18 trained officers from NSW helping with the clean up and while our deployment has been scaled down, our officers continue to fulfil an important role,” Mr Tripodi said.

Mr Tripodi said the NSW Maritime representative is acting as an Operations Officer – effectively second in charge of the three hundred-plus people still involved in the clean up.

The other two officers are deployed in the shoreline clean up operation.

“NSW Maritime and the port corporations have more staff on standby to send as replacements and the Department of Environment and Climate Change has offered specialists in environmental and chemical matters to travel to the site if needed,” Mr Tripodi said.

Oil spilled from the Pacific Adventurer is still affecting the coastal environment, especially around Moreton Island and along Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Mr Tripodi said it could be weeks before the clean up is completed and NSW is standing by to send more reinforcements.

NSW is supporting Queensland under national response arrangements known as the National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and Other Hazardous or Noxious Substances.

“The NSW support mirrors the help Queensland provided in the response to the Pasha Bulker grounding in June 2007,” Mr Tripodi said.